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About Me

I'm a wife, mother to 4 wonderful boys and a total bookaholic :) Im Irish and I read mainly anything Paranormal, Fantasy, Dystopian and Post Apocalyptic. I'm a big fan of Supernatural and The Vampire Diaries and binge watch them when Im not reading!

Monday, 11 December 2017

Ivy Morgan hasn't been feeling like herself lately. Not like anyone can blame her. After all, being held captive by a psychotic fae prince hell-bent on permanently opening the gates to the Otherworld is bound to leave some mental scars.It’s more than that, though. Something dark and insidious is spreading throughout Ivy, more powerful than she could ever imagine... and it’s coming between her and the man she’s fallen deeply in love with, elite Order member Ren Owens.Ren would do anything to keep Ivy safe. Anything. But when he makes a life altering choice for her, the fallout of his act has far reaching consequences that threaten to tear their lives apart.If Ivy is going to have any hope of surviving this, she must put aside the hurt and betrayal she feels, and work with not only those she loves, but with an enemy she would rather kill than ever trust. War is coming, and it soon becomes clear that what Ivy and Ren thought they knew about the Order, themselves, and even their enemies, has been nothing but a cluster of dangerous, deadly lies. Ivy knows she must be more than just brave to save those she loves--and, ultimately, to save herself.Because behind every evil fae Prince, there’s a Queen…

# 1 NEW YORK TIMES Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. She spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.

Sunday, 10 December 2017

Welcome to another Debut Author Feature. I'm definitely spoiling you guys this year!! Today's feature is from debut author Jonathan Rosen and his book Night of the Living Cuddle Bunnies. Jonathan was nice enough to do an interview, so please show him some love in the comments!!Title: Night of the Living Cuddle BunniesPages: 256Published: August 1st 2017 by Sky Pony Press

Twelve-year-old Devin Dexter has a problem. Well, actually, many of them. His cousin, Tommy, sees conspiracies around every corner. And Tommy thinks Devin’s new neighbor, Herb, is a warlock—but nobody believes him. Even Devin’s skeptical. But soon strange things start happening. Things like the hot new Christmas toy, the Cuddle Bunny, coming to life.That would be great because, after all, who doesn’t love a cute bunny? But these aren’t the kind of bunnies you can snuggle with. These bunnies are dangerous. Devin and Tommy set out to prove Herb is a warlock and to stop the mob of bunnies, but will they have enough time before the whole town of Gravesend is overrun by the cutest little monsters ever?

Purchase: Amazon/ Book DepositoryAdd to GoodreadsAuthor Interview:1. What is your latest book about?Night of the Living Cuddle Bunnies is about, twelve-year-old, Devin Dexter and his cousin Tommy, who believe that the new neighbor across the street, Herb, is a warlock, only nobody believes them. Not even when strange things start happening, such as that year’s hot new Christmas toy, the Cuddle Bunny, coming to life and causing havoc all over the town. Devin and Tommy must try to prove Herb is a warlock, and stop the marauding mob of evil bunnies, before the entire town of Gravesend is overrun.2. What are your writing strengths?My strengths, I believe are humor, and dialogue. Now, of course, I’ll have someone read this and say, “This guy isn’t funny at all!” They’d be wrong, but humor is subjective. But, humor and dialogue have always been my strengths. Love writing both. Especially humorous give and take between characters.3. What do you feel you need to work on as a writer?What don’t I need to work on? Even things you feel comfortable with, you need to constantly be working on. You always need to try and improve and get better. I look at stuff I wrote a few years ago, and cringe. You keep striving to get better. 4. What is your dream job?I thought I was doing it?? Actually, I do love writing. I’d love to do more of it. Novels, screenplays, comics. All of it. Looking at it, I guess my dream job is to be Jonathan Maberry. But, really, I love creating stories. It’s the frustrated actor in me.5. What social media accounts do you like best?I know a lot of people love Instagram, SnapChat, or Twitter, but I am still very much a Facebook person. The others are too restricting. I feel you get to know people the most on Facebook. 6. How has your life changed after you’ve become a writer?Quick answer, it hasn’t. I’m the same. But . . . I do have a sense of accomplishment, now that I’ve fulfilled a long-standing dream of mine. I have a book published and I had dreamed about that for my whole life. My kids love the fact, so it also brought me a little street cred in the house. Longer answer, besides pride, there’s pressure. You want to get out another one. You don’t want to think it was a one-off. You want to think of it as a career. There’s relief that you have a book under your belt, but the hunger is still there.

7. What POV do you like writing in best?Mine. Okay, you probably didn’t mean that. I used to love writing in third, but right now, it’s first. I love getting the immediacy of the character’s thoughts. 8. What would you say is your crowning achievement as a writer?Right now, I have to say Night of the Living Cuddle Bunnies. And, I know it’s my first book and so far, only one out, but I’m going to always have a special spot in my heart for that one, no matter what else happens. I know it’s mine, but I’m extremely proud of it. It’s a really funny book and enjoyable story, and I worked extremely hard on it. 9. Did you have a plan before you started writing?Yes. I set out to make this book as funny as I could. I had been turned down for one reason or another on previous manuscripts, but always the feedback was, we love your humor. So, after feeling a bit down, I tried to spin it into a positive. They had given me a positive, and I wanted to build on it. They liked my humor? Well, let me give them more of it. Ultimately, that was what broke through for me. I knew I wanted to make it about evil stuffed animals. That idea had been with me for a long time. After that, the characters started coming together easily. 10. What genres would you like to write within that you haven’t written in before?I have several YA stories that I’m going to attempt. I also have more of a sci/fi story that I want to do as well. 11. What genre would you never write within? I’m pretty sure that I don’t see myself as a Romance writer, but you never know :)12. How do you like interacting with your readers? (Signings, twitter etc)I can honestly say that I LOVE it. Seriously, who wouldn’t? If someone is enthusiastic about something that I wrote, it’s the best feeling. I love hearing from kids who have read my book and enjoyed it. Even more, I love hearing them tell me which parts they loved.13. What other ways do you showcase your creativity?Nowadays, I’ve really been concentrating on writing, but I used to love acting also. I majored in Theater for a brief time and still get the acting bug. Writing is a way of performing. You get your outlet for creativity. But, I’m always writing down story ideas. I’m always writing down jokes to use in stories. It’s constant notes and putting down ideas for future use.14. What are you working on now?Which one? :)I just finished a Time-Travel book, which will be shopped, as well as the sequel to Night of the Living Cuddle Bunnies. Besides those two, I’m now working on another one, so stay tuned.15. When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?Honestly, when I was a kid. There was ALWAYS something thrilling about going to the bookstore. My parents took me, every time I went into the mall. I remember, even at that age, thinking how awesome it would be, to see my name on a book. I was a voracious reader, and with every book I read, I started coming up with different ways that plot could’ve gone. What things the author could’ve done differently. It got me trained to always be thinking about stories and storytelling.16. What was the push that got you to finish your first book?Well, my first book, I finished without knowing anything. I got so excited about writing a story, that I went for it. I realized then, that writing is hard! You have to know craft. It’s something that takes studying and learning. But, my first published book, it took getting close on previous manuscripts. I definitely saw a progression in the response from agents and editors. Once, I started getting really close, it motivated me for the next one.17. What are some things that helped you in your writing career?Other writers. Seriously. I have been fortunate enough to have been surrounded by talented writers, who have been helpful with advice and tips. I was also lucky to have been mentored by Joyce Sweeney, who has helped so many writers get published. But, I have also met many others, who have been kind in offering advice.18. Are you a pantser or plotter?I used to be an intense plotter. Covering every aspect of the book. I still plot, but I’ve gotten to be somewhat more of a pantser. I’ve enjoyed the freedom of not always knowing exactly where the story will take me. I do have a general idea, but I like the uncertainness. This way, I feel liberated to enjoy some surprises along the way.19. What do you hope to achieve from your writing career?Really, all I want, and all I have wanted from this, is to write books that kids will enjoy reading for many years to come. If you enjoy writing and are lucky enough to have your work reach an audience, that is its own reward.Some Get to know me Questions20. What do you like to do when you're not writing?Anything with my family. I especially enjoy doing things with my kids. I’m sappy that way, but miss my kids when they’re not around me.21. What’s the best vacation you ever had?I’ve been to so many cool places, but my favorite might be the UK. I went to England and Scotland, and just loved every second of it. London was incredible. I did ghost tours, a Jack the Ripper tour, we got to stay in haunted hotels. Every part of it was fascinating. And, it was also amazing to get to go to Loch Ness. I’d always been fascinated by it, and to get to see it in person, was an unforgettable experience. 22. What’s your favourite rainy day movie?It’s funny that you’re specifying, because I do have different movies that I enjoy watching at different times. Rainy days, either get me in a melancholy mood, or fantasy. It’ll definitely be an old, familiar favorite. But, off the top of my head, I’d say a movie from my childhood, just to live in nostalgia. I’ll say Back to the Future.23. If you could be any age again for a week, which would you choose and why?I’d probably go back to age twelve or thirteen. I loved being that age, and the sense of adventure and exploring. That age lends itself to suspension of disbelief and everything around you is a world of possibilities. It’s no wonder at all, that that’s the age I enjoy writing for.24. If you could have personally witnessed one event in history, what would it be?I actually think about this a lot. I love history. Love learning about it. Love teaching it. Love reading about it. And my answer will inevitably change. There are so many things I’d love to see. But, off the top of my head, I’m going to say the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Just knowing that this group was set to go against the leading power in the world, at the time, was remarkable.25. What's you favourite place to read?In bed. I read around a chapter a night from three or four different books. I’m always in the middle of four books at once. I read right before going to sleep and it helps me fall asleep.26. When you walk into a book store, where do you head first?Children’s books. Every time. I could spend hours there, looking through everything. I like to see what’s come out and what’s on the shelves. And now, I also like to see my book on the shelf. It never grows old.27. If you had a million dollars, what would be the first thing you would buy?First thing is, a down payment on a house. Something comfortable for my family. I can’t even think of anything that would come before that.

About the Author:

Jonathan Rosen is a transplanted New Yorker, who now lives with his family in sunny, South Florida. He spends his “free” time being a volunteer coach and chauffeur for his three kids. Some of Jonathan’s fondest childhood memories are of discovering a really good book to dive into. He currently writes middle-grade, because he finds that he shares the same sense of humor as that audience. Jonathan is proud to be of Mexican-American descent, although neither country has been willing to accept responsibility. You can find him on Twitter, Facebook, FromtheMixedUpFiles.Com, The Tuesday Writers and his own website, WWW.HouseofRosen.com

Friday, 8 December 2017

They think they’re invincible.They think they can do and say whatever they want.They think there are no consequences.They’ve left me no choice.It’s time for them to pay for their sins.A weekend partying at a remote cabin is just what Mackenzie needs. She can’t wait to let loose with her friends. But a crazy night of fun leaves two of them dead—murdered. With no signs of a forced entry or struggle, suspicion turns to the five survivors. Someone isn’t telling the truth. And Mackenzie’s first mistake? Assuming the killing is over…

The Cabin by Natasha Preston is on sale for only 1.99$. Purchase it here:

My name is Natasha, but most people call me Tash or Tasha. I don't mind either. I was born in England and have lived in small towns and villages out in the countryside ever since.My husband, Joseph, is the most supportive person in my life. Without his love, help and patience I wouldn't be where I am today. I'm a proud mummy to two amazing little boys who are my whole world.At school I drifted through, achieving average grades. I fell into administration and receptionist jobs, thinking that I couldn't really do anything else.In 2010 I stumbled into writing completely by accident. I was searching the 'app store' and came across Wattpad - an amateur writing site. For the first few months I just read, but then I decided to type out some of the ideas swirling around in my head. I'm so glad I did because I love creating new stories.Writing gave me an escape and Wattpad gave me the confidence I lacked.

Wednesday, 6 December 2017

Skye Thorn has given tarot card readings for years, and now her psychic visions are helping the police find the town’s missing golden girl. It’s no challenge—her readings have always been faked, but this time she has some insider knowledge. The kidnapping was supposed to be easy—no one would get hurt and she’d get the money she needs to start a new life. But a seemingly harmless prank has turned dark, and Skye realizes the people she’s involved with are willing to kill to get what they want and she must discover their true identity before it’s too late.

"...[The Hanging Girl] is fast-paced; features a very relatable, down-on-herluck protagonist; and boasts a surprise twist that will leave readers arguing long after the book is over. Perfect for fans of psychological thrillers." ―Booklist

"A surprisingly dark thriller that will find a home in libraries where there is a need for strong female protagonists and engrossing mysteries." ―SLJ

"...The multiple twists in the ending pack several hefty wallops of surprise and reward the reader with a more than satisfactory payout." ―BulletinExcerpt:

This excerpt is from Paige’s point of view. She’s been abducted and being held by the kidnappers in a remote location. She’s keeping a journal.

They left me a case of bottled water, along with a loaf of Wonder Bread and a jar of Jiff peanut butter. They didn’t leave me a knife; they weren’t that careless. All I have is a couple plastic spoons.

The first day I tried to figure out what I’d do when the kidnappers came back. I want to be the kind of person who comes up with some kind of plan for when they come in, a way to save myself. But, the truth is I don’t know what to do. I tried to fight back at the car, and all it got me was a hard slap across the face.

I always thought I was brave, but now I realize it was only because there was never anything I really needed to be scared of.

If I’m honest I’m less afraid of what they’ll do when they come back and more terrified that they won’t come back at all. The first couple of days I ate two or three sandwiches, but then I moved to one, and today I had just a half. I started doing the math to figure out how long I can make the food last, but I’m not even sure how much I need to eat to stay alive. Maybe they left just enough food to give me hope, but not enough to survive. I think that’s the most horrible part of all of this—not knowing if I should hope or just give up.

If this note is found after I’m gone, I want someone to tell my parents that I loved them. Let them know I’m doing everything to keep hoping this will work out. Tell them that I stayed strong. My dad is always saying that—stay strong—it’s a Bonnet family motto. I don’t know what I can do to get away, but I’m not going to stop trying. Maybe being brave is what happens when you don’t have a choice.

Copyright 2017 by Eileen Cook

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Eileen Cook grew up in a small town in Michigan, but would go on to live in Boston and Belgium before settling in Vancouver, Canada with her husband and two very naughty dogs.
In second grade Eileen’s teacher wrote on a homework assignment “I am sure someday you will be an author” which is a tribute to the psychic abilities of elementary school teachers, as well as Eileen penchant for making things up. While she would go on to fill endless notebooks with really bad poetry, short stories, and the occasional start to a novel, she would first go on to pursue a career as a counsellor working with individuals with catastrophic injuries and illness.
Eileen quickly discovered that the challenge of working with real people is that they have real problems and she returned to writing where she could make her characters do what she wanted. Her first novel was published in 2008. Entertainment Weekly called her novel WITH MALICE a “seriously creepy thriller” which pretty much made her entire year.
When not planning murder and mayhem on the computer, Eileen enjoys reading, knitting, yelling at her dogs to stop digging holes and watching hockey (which she is required to do as a new Canadian.)
Eileen is a popular speaker at conferences both in the US and in Canada, provides writing/editorial coaching, and is a mentor/instructor for the Simon Fraser University The Writer’s Studio.
Eileen lives in Vancouver with her husband and two very naughty dogs and no longer wishes to be anyone or anywhere else.

Tuesday, 5 December 2017

Welcome to the Debut Author Bash!! Today I am featuring Alexandra Ott and her book Rues for Thieves. I was lucky enough to interview Alexandra so I hope you all show her some love in the comments!!

Title: Rules for Thieves

Pages: 320

Published June 6th 2017 by Aladdin

After twelve-year-old orphan Alli Rosco is cursed with a deadly spell, she must join the legendary Thieves Guild in order to try and save herself in this high-stakes debut.Twelve-year-old Alli Rosco is smart, resourceful, and totally incapable of keeping her mouth shut. Some of these traits have served her well during her nine years in Azeland’s orphanage, and others have proved more troublesome…but now that she’s escaped to try her luck on the streets, she has bigger problems than extra chores to contend with. Surviving would be hard enough, but after a run-in with one of the city’s Protectors, she’s marked by a curse that’s slowly working its way to her heart. There is a cure, but the cost is astronomical—and seems well out of her reach.Enter Beck, a boy with a gift for theft and a touch of magic, who seems almost too good to be true. He tells Alli that the legendary Thieves Guild, long thought to be a myth, is real. Even better, Beck is a member and thinks she could be, too. All she has to do is pass the trial that the King of Thieves will assign to her. Join the Guild, collect her yearly reward and buy a cure. Plus, Alli hopes the Guild will be the home—the family—that Alli has always wanted. But when their trial goes wrong, innocent lives are put in danger, and Alli has to decide how much she can sacrifice in order to survive.

I find sparks of inspiration everywhere. With Rules for Thieves, I was inspired by all of the heist novels that I loved when I was a young reader, and I wanted to put my own spin on that kind of story. I also got some ideas from an imaginative game I invented for my little sister when we were younger!

How do you develop your writing ideas?

Every writing idea is different—sometimes I start with plot, other times I start with character or setting. Once I have the basics of an idea, I brainstorm a loose outline so that I have a little bit of structure to work with, but I leave plenty of gaps that I can explore as I write.

Where do you find inspiration for your characters?

Characters are the most mysterious part of the writing process for me; I’m not really sure where they come from. Alli, the protagonist of Rules for Thieves, sprang into my head one day almost fully-formed, and I knew immediately that I needed to write her story.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

I loved books from a very young age, and I’ve been telling stories for just as long. As soon as I was old enough to realize that being an author was an actual job, I knew that was what I wanted to do.

What makes you unique as a writer?

I think every writer is unique—we all bring our own experiences and perspective to a story. If a dozen writers all started with the same idea, they’d end up with a dozen very different novels!

Describe your book in 140 characters or less.

Orphaned girl tries to join a legendary band of thieves to get the cure for the curse that’s killing her.

Tell us about the main character(s).

Alli Rosco is a twelve-year-old orphan with a sarcastic sense of humor. She’s smart, headstrong, and more than a little reckless, with a talent for getting into trouble! She is a girl who misbehaves, who isn’t well-adjusted, who can’t get adopted because she’s seen—and sees herself—as a “bad” kid. That was what drew me to her story: what happens to an orphaned girl that no one believes in?

What writers inspire/d you?

So many! J.K. Rowling, Megan Whalen Turner, and Cornelia Funke were some of the biggest influences on Rules for Thieves in particular, but there are many more.

How has your writing career changed since you started?

My writing career is really just beginning. The biggest difference between when I’m working now and when I was writing a few years ago is that now I know people will actually read the book when I’m done!

What does your writing process look like?

My process is different for every book, but I usually start with a loose outline, then write a very fast first draft. I like to write first drafts quickly so that I can remain deeply immersed in the world; I find that I lose momentum if I have to take breaks. After the first draft, I go through several rounds of revision, which usually involves getting feedback from my editor and/or critique partners.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I’m very particular about what I listen to while writing. I can’t listen to music because I find it too distracting (even without lyrics). But I don’t like complete silence either. I often listen to the sounds of thunderstorms or other ambient noise, though I prefer different sounds for different projects. It has to strike the right mood!

What are your writing goals for the next year?

I’m currently working on a new middle grade fantasy idea that I’m planning to finish soon, and I’d also like to work on a YA project that I’ve had set aside for a while.

What is the most useful tool you use as a writer?

Aside from my laptop, I like using regular old index cards for outlining and plotting. Laying all of the cards out makes it easy to see the structure of the novel in one glance, which I find really useful.

Name the five biggest distractions from your writing.

Netflix, Netflix, Netflix. Social media. And Netflix.

What character would you most like to be stuck in an elevator with?

Hermione Granger, because a) I adore her and b) she’d know a spell to get us out of the elevator.

Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?

I’ve gotten a few lovely messages from readers. One of the most touching was from an eight-year-old girl who told me she wanted to be a writer like me when she grew up. It was so sweet I got a little teary!

Some Get to know me Questions

What do you like to do when you're not writing?

Read, of course! (And see above re: Netflix.)

What’s the best vacation you ever had?

I studied abroad for a summer in Spain when I was in college, and it was an amazing experience. It wasn’t technically a vacation, since I was taking classes, but doing homework on the beach still felt like a vacation. ;)

What’s your favourite rainy day movie?

Pride and Prejudice. (Either the Ehle/Firth mini-series or the Knightley/MacFadyen version.)

If you could be any age again for a week, which would you choose and why?

That depends… do I get to pick the week? If so, I’d be twenty again just to relive a week of that Spain trip (see above).

If you could have personally witnessed one event in history, what would it be?

This is such a tough question—so many good options! I think it would be amazing to see one of Shakespeare’s plays performed for the first time. Imagine being in the audience at the Globe!

What's you favourite place to read?

I usually read in bed, though I also have a cozy reading chair.

When you walk into a book store, where do you head first?

I typically start in the children’s section and work my way up to the YA books, then the adult fantasy, then new releases . . . and then every other section in the store. ;)

If you had a million dollars, what would be the first thing you would buy?

Books, of course!

About the Author:

Alexandra Ott holds a B.A. in English from the University of Tulsa. She currently lives in Oklahoma with her tiny canine overlord. Rules for Thieves is her debut novel. Visit her online at www.alexandraott.com and on Twitter at @Alexandra_Ott.

New school year, same old problems . . . At Mythos Academy, everyone knows exactly who I am: Rory Forseti, Spartan girl and the daughter of Reapers. Even though I fought alongside my cousin Gwen Frost to save the mythological world from Loki and his evil Reapers of Chaos, I’m still the most hated girl at the academy because of all the horrible things my parents did. I had hoped that this school year would be different, but the other kids just won’t let me forget about my parents. But something strange is going on at the Colorado Academy. First, I run into a Viking guy who dislikes me more than most. Then I notice some odd artifacts in the Library of Antiquities. And worst of all, I start hearing rumors about a new group of Reapers who can summon mythological monsters. I might be the most hated girl at Mythos Academy, but I’m also the only one who can save it . . .

My Thoughts:Rory Forseti is hoping that this year will be different, after all, she helped defeat Loki, but unfortunately for her, people don't forget easy and since Rorys parents were Reapers, she is still being talked about, still without friends! But when artifacts start to go missing and there is talk of a new group of Reapers, Rory finds herself helping people again, even though they hate her. She isn't her parents and just wants people to realise this!I'll start this by saying that I haven't read all the Gwen Frost books, most but not all! And even though I find out what happens with that series, I still absolutely loved this!!! I also loved that this is focused on Rory, because she totally rocks :)Plot wise, this was fast paced, exciting, entertaining and thrilling. There's goddess, mythical animals, magical items, battles and sacrifices, there's secrets and surprises which all wrapped together, makes for one heck of a read!!The characters are all well written and developed. I loved seeing Gwen and her sword, but I loved Rory more. She is such a sweetheart, despite what her parents were. I also loved what Rory got, Babs is amazing!!!! Getting to know Ian, Mateo, Zoe and Tanaka was awesome too. I can't wait to find out more about Ian.In all, this was an amazing read. I love this authors mind and love the lore she uses. If you haven't read the Gwen Frost books, I still think you can enjoy this. While there us references to what happened before, this is still easy to follow and you can catch up quickly. A must read!